The Price of Compassion
by ladygris
Summary: Carson pays the price of compassion, and it's up to John Sheppard to rescue him.  Carson-whump.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing save the original characters.

**Author's****Note:** Okay, this story came from several places. First of all, it came from a conversation on the Carson Beckett Challenges and Fun thread on Gateworld. **Pisces317** mentioned a line in the episode "Tower," where Carson said, "I really need to stop makin' house calls." She wondered if there was a story in there. Secondly, I was inspired by the realization of what Apostle Paul went through during his life and ministry, in particular the times he was beaten. It came up during church one night, and I couldn't get this idea out of my head. I should warn you that this is a _whump fic_, not a ship fic. :) There are some very delicate issues discussed in this first chapter, including domestic abuse. I've kept it to a T rating, but I wanted to put a warning in here of some very adult subjects that aren't overly done but under the surface. Also, this story is only four chapters and is completely written. It will post on Thursday, Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and it will not interfere with Those Who Survive for everyone following that story.

Also, in uploading this story, the server decided to remove the spaces in a good chunk of it. So I've gone through and added the spaces back in. If you catch any spelling errors, please let me know so that I can correct them. Special thanks to **pisces317** and **GraceW** for the beta. Set just after "Conversion," and will contain spoilers for anything up to "Conversion" and the episode "The Tower." So, all that said, hope you enjoy! ~lg

oOo

He woke slowly. Lying on his stomach, he had a limited line of sight, but what he saw made him frown. Sunlight peeked through cracks in a crude, thatched roof and walls made of thin stalks of bamboo or some other reed of similar appearance. Barely enough to keep out any inclement weather, it did little to warm the occupants. His bed was constructed of the same bamboo stalks with a thin cloth stretched across them like a hammock. It was surprisingly comfortable for the moment, but his neck muscles begged to be stretched. Moving his head caused pain to erupt, and he groaned in agony.

"Shh." The voice was soft and hoarse. A form moved, and he felt cool hands touch his bare shoulders. "You should not move."

Blinking at the instructions, he ground his teeth together and turned his head. The simple action sent shards down his spine and across his back. He felt the pull of open wounds and squeezed his eyes shut to hide the tears. He wasn't crying because of his circumstance so much as how badly it hurt. "Bloody. . . .!" He broke off the curse when he saw his nurse.

A young woman, wearing a shapeless brown dress, sat next to the low bed. She smiled at him, but the bruise around her eye, combined with the split lip, made it seem sad rather than comforting. She rinsed a rag in a bowl of pink-tinged water and moved to lay it over the pain in his back. "I know how badly this hurts, but it will help."

"Wha' is it?"

"Just water." She smiled again, and her eyes showed compassion. "But it cools the sting a bit."

"Ye've had this happen to ye?"

"Yes." Her smile faded, but the compassion in her eyes only grew. "You should not have interfered."

He blinked again, this time in confusion. Having just come out of an unconscious state, no doubt suffering a concussion, his memories were vague at best. The girl was familiar, as was the hand-shaped bruise around her neck, but he had no memory. . . .

Staring at that bruise, Carson Beckett suddenly remembered.

oOo

_It had been a bright, fall day when Carson stepped through the Stargate. Back on Atlantis, it was the middle of a very hot, very muggy summer. He'd experienced such weather before, but it was much cooler in his native Scotland. Positioned near the equator of the planet, Atlantis always managed to make him grateful for environmental controls. But this weather was eerily familiar. As was the landscape. A few ruins around the gate indicated what once had been a grand stone arch over the path, but they'd been overgrown by grass and moss. The mountains rose from one side, and he smiled happily. It looked almost identical to Glencoe._

_Lieutenant Baker led the way down the path, the remainder of his team closing ranks around Carson. He followed with a sigh, the heavy backpack on his shoulders not quite bouncing as a result of how tightly he kept the straps. He carried another heavy pack in his hand, this one full of various medications and equipment. He couldn't know exactly what he'd face given the cryptic summons. Colonel Sheppard usually came to this world with his team to conduct the trades. Carson had come once before, when the wife of the village elder gave birth to their first child. That time, he'd been tense but focused. He knew what he was facing given that the midwife was unable to help the mother deliver the breech baby. This visit, however, set his teeth on edge._

_First of all, Colonel Sheppard and his team were off world on another mission, as were Major Lorne and his team. Lieutenant Baker was a recent addition to Atlantis, and he'd been told to "keep an eye" on Carson. He'd taken those instructions seriously and signaled his newly-formed team to close ranks. Feeling a bit smothered and more than a little uncomfortable with the silence, Carson trudged behind Baker on their way into town._

_Even the village resembled something straight out of medieval Scotland. The homes, called crofts like back on Earth, were whitewashed and neatly kept. The largest of these crofts housed the village elder, and the people raised animals in the hills. The familiarity of the setting helped Carson to relax as children and adults alike greeted them. He waved as they made their way to the elder's home._

_Dougal, who resembled a Highland lord without the kilt, blinked at his visitors, his eyes not recognizing anyone until they reached Carson. "Dr. Beckett. This is a surprise."_

_Stepping forward to greet a man he'd managed to impress the first time he'd been here, Carson nodded. "Aye. We were told ye had an injured servant girl?"_

_Dougal's eyes hardened, and he turned to his young wife behind him. "Eilis?"_

"_Yes, __I __called __them.__" __Her __blue __eyes __dropped __suddenly.__ "__I __thought __she __could __use __the __help.__"_

_Dougal regarded his wife for a long moment and then stepped back to admit his visitors. "Come inside, Dr. Beckett." He closed the door firmly. "I am certain it is a simple injury. There is no need for you to trouble yourself, particularly since you've got Atlantis to attend to."_

_Sensing the man was trying to keep him from something, Carson waved a hand. "Och, it's no trouble a'tall." Being in surroundings that reminded him of his home, his accent naturally thickened. "Since I'm here, why don't I take a look at the lass?"_

_Dougal __and __his __wife __exchanged __another __glance, __and __Carson __saw __Baker __shift __on __his __feet. __So __he __wasn't __the __only __person __to __pick __up __on __the __unspoken __messages __after __all. __Finally, __Dougal __nodded __sharply.__ "__My _wife _will __show __you __to __her.__" __The __way __he __said __it __made __Carson __wonder __what __had __happened __between __Dougal __and __this __servant __girl._

_Eilis led Carson and his team down the long corridor toward the rear of the home. While he wasn't a fan of a feudal society, Carson understood that it was a necessary stop in the development of these people. From what Colonel Sheppard had said, the people were fair with everyone, and he'd once believed it. Now, he wasn't so certain._

_Eilis left the main croft and pushed the door open in yet another, smaller cottage. No more than one room, light poured through a single window to illuminate a huddled form on the floor. The young woman cringed away from the newcomers, and Carson turned to Baker. "Lieutenant, wait outside. I don't want ta frighten the poor lass any more than need be."_

_Baker watched Eilis scurry back to the croft and nodded once. "Let me know if you need anything."_

"_Aye, __I __will.__" __Carson __closed __the __door __behind __him, __noting __the __crumbling __walls __of __the __place __and __how __sunlight __peeked __through __the __roof. __This __cottage __was __in __shambles __and __likely __became __very __cold __at __night. __No __glass __covered __the __window, __and __the __young __girl __had __a __thin __blanket __wrapped __around __her __shoulders. __She __sat __on __the __only __bit __of __comfort __in __the __entire __one-room __house: __a __limp __mattress __that __likely __wasn't __any __softer __than __the __floor. __She __didn't __look __at __him, __her __dark, __tangled __hair __hiding __her __face, __and __Carson __had __no __problems __summoning __a __gentle __smile. __Setting __his __gear __next __to __the __door, __he __sighed.__ "__Hello, __love. __My __name __is __Carson__. __Do __ye __mind __if __I __take __a __look __at __ye?__"_

_The head slowly lifted to look at the window, hair still concealing the owner's identity. Carson wondered why the girl was so frightened of having him see her face and then realized that it was likely a very embarrassing injury. Especially given the tension between Eilis and Dougal. Finally, she sighed, indicated by a heaving of her shoulders, and turned to face him._

"_Dear __Lord!__" __The __single __ray __of __light __from __the __window __revealed __the __pretty __young __face __marred __by __an __eye __so __swollen __its __green __iris __could __barely __be __seen. __Still, __he __recognized __her __and __rushed __toward __her. __Crouching __in __front __of __his __patient, __he __made __sure __to __meet __her __tortured __gaze.__ "__Reya, __what __happened?__"_

_She opened and closed her mouth several times, her eyes returning to the window and giving him a chance to assess her injuries. She held the blanket around herself like a cloak, trying to ward off more than just a physical chill. Her lip had been split, and the black eye had an accompanying bruise across her neck. Finally, she swallowed with difficulty. "I cannot say."_

_Carson's eyes slid shut at the raspy voice that came from her mouth. The last time he'd been to visit, Reya had been the excited half-sister of the wee bairn, not this frightened, battered woman. Dougal's daughter had always worn the best his people had to offer, even if she seemed distant from her father. Now, she had on a shapeless brown dress that looked suspiciously like burlap._

_Carson __rocked __back __on __his __heel __and __gently __lifted __her __chin __to __study __the __bruise __there. _Aye, that's a hand print_, __he __thought. __Letting __her __lower __her __head __to __maintain __her __shame, __he __kept __his __voice __soft.__ "__Did __he __touch __ye __anywhere __else?__"_

_Her eyes flew to his, and Carson's heart sank. Before he could do much more than assume the worst, she shook her head. "No." She swallowed again, clearly trying to help her voice return. "No, he didn't. But. . . ."_

"_But __what?__"_

_Her eyes filled with tears. "My child. . . ." She couldn't continue, but Carson didn't need her to tell him the entire story. He wanted to pull her into his arms but kept his hand on her shoulder instead. She drew in a deep, ragged breath. "It is over. I told Eilis that I would be fine, but she insisted you come to see me. I told her that Father would be angry, but she did not listen."_

_Feeling his own temper rising, Carson pressed his lips together and clenched his jaw. The anger that stirred was deeper than anything he'd ever felt, and he wanted to actually hit someone. Instead, he gently squeezed Reya's shoulder. "Well, I'm here, and I'll make sure you're well before I leave."_

oOo

He'd been a fool. Carson watched Reya as she carried the bowl of bloodied water to the other side of the hut—about ten feet away—and set it next to the door. A hand reached down and pulled it out of her grasp before it hit the dust, and a new one soon appeared. She carried it back over to his side, her face regretful.

"Dr. Beckett, I am. . . .You should not have. . . ."

"Call me 'Carson,' love." Even in his condition, he hated the formality. "And I only did wha' any good, self-respectin' man would ha'e done."

She smiled slightly. "You are a good man, Carson," she said, using his given name as her smile faded. "Just like my husband."

Carson blinked at her and then hissed as she used the last clean rag to finish cleansing his wounds. "Husband?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Yes." She glanced at him. "I am sorry for the pain. But it will help."

"Aye, I know." He nodded and allowed her to finish her ministrations. It hurt more than just about anything ever had, but he made no further sound until she'd finished. When she sat back and dropped to the ground, he met her eyes. "Reya, you're married?"

She nodded. "Two weeks."

"An' the child?" he asked softly, knowing it was a very sensitive subject.

"Would have been born in six lunar cycles." She met his eyes. "Please. Do not judge me for what I did. My husband and I were forbidden from even socializing for years. Then, when Eilis came, I was given some liberty. I went directly to him, and we. . . ." She trailed off as her face flushed, clearly knowing he didn't need her to spell it out. "When I realized the truth, I—we married. Without Father's knowledge."

"Ye eloped?"

She scowled. "Eloped? I do not understand."

"'Tis wha' we call it back on Earth." Carson moved to push himself up, but his shoulders wouldn't handle his weight. He fell back onto the cot with a frustrated growl.

Reya jumped to her feet and rushed over. "Do not move yet." Her cool hand pushed him down ever so gently. "Give yourself another hour, and then you should be able to change position."

Knowing she was right, Carson nodded. He needed to get out of this hut, where the heat had begun to build some time ago. But he had no weapons, and his Atlantis uniform had been shredded and likely burned. Still, infection could set in no matter how tenderly Reya treated his wounds. The situation, already serious, could turn deadly within only a short time. And that wasn't even counting the problems with Baker.

oOo

_Carson stormed from the cottage so quickly that he startled Baker. The lieutenant jumped nearly out of his skin and frowned. "Doctor?"_

_Carson ignored him and marched directly into the croft. Eilis was in the main room of the home, holding her six-month-old son in a rocker. "Where is he?"_

_She blinked up at him, the baby fretting as she tried to maintain a cool demeanor. "I beg your pardon?"_

"_Dougal. __Where __is __he?__"_

_She sighed, and her eyes dropped to her son. "I am sorry I deceived you, saying it was a servant girl. But you must understand that behavior such as Reya's is frowned upon here."_

"_Behavior? __Ye __mean __the __way __a __man __an' __woman __act __who __are __married?__" __Carson __hated __being __so __blunt, __but __something __was __clearly __wrong __with __this __situation._

_Eilis looked at him again, her face resigned. "I am sorry, Dr. Beckett. But you must understand. . . ."_

"_Och, __I __understand!__" __he __interrupted.__ "__I __understand __that __Reya's __unborn __child __was __lost __because __of __what __her __father __did __to __her. __I __understand __that __she's __bein' __punished __for __somethin' __that __ye __yourself __have. __Now. __Where. __Is. __He?__"_

_She pointed down the hallway. "Third door to the right."_

_Carson stormed off without so much as a "by your leave." Baker had finally caught up to him and tried to stop him with a hand on his arm, but he brushed off the young lieutenant. He was much too angry to slow down, especially with a patient heartbroken and so frightened that she refused to tell him the truth of her injuries. At the door Eilis had indicated, Carson rushed through and strode across the room to plant two heavy palms on the sturdy desk. Dougal jumped backwards in his chair, the ink from his quill leaving an ugly smear across his ledger._

_The elder regained his composure within seconds. "What is the meaning of this?"_

"_I'll __tell __ye __wha' __the __meanin' __is!__" __Carson __straightened __and __would __have __come __around __the __desk __if __not __for __Baker's __cleared __throat __behind __him. __"__Your _daughter _is __in __tha' __hole __of __a __cottage, __sufferin' __because __o' __your __cruelty!__"_

"_I __have __no __daughter.__" __The __cold __statement __told __every __person __in __the __room __what __they __didn't __want __to __hear.__ "__She __died.__"_

"_She __bloody __well __did _not _die!__" __Carson __met __the __man's __eyes.__ "__I've __just __come __from __treatin' __her __injuries, __an' __I __must __say __they're __worse __than __you __could __understand.__"_

"_I __understand __the __injuries, __Dr. __Beckett.__" __Dougal's __voice __dropped __several __octaves, __taking __on __a __dangerous __tone.__ "__I __know __quite __well __what __her __injuries __are, __and __I __know __what __the __punishment __will __be.__"_

"_Punishment? __Hasn't __she __suffered __enough?__"_

"_She __conceived __a __child __out __of __wedlock __and __proceeded __to __run __off __with __the __father __of __the __child. __When __I __found __them, __they __were __illegally __married.__"_

"_Illegally?__"_

"_Yes.__" __Dougal's __superior __smirk __finally __appeared.__ "__It __is __illegal __for __a __servant __to __marry __without __her __lord's __permission, __and __she __did __so. __Therefore, __she __will __suffer __the __punishment.__"_

"_An' __the __punishment __is?__"_

"_In __one __hour, __she __will __be __taken __to __the __center __of __town __and __flogged.__"_

"_The __wee __lass __has __just __lost __her __child!__" __Carson's __voice __rose __along __with __his a__nger.__ "__She __cannae __be __handlin' __a __floggin' __just __now! __Ye'll __kill __her!__"_

_Dougal stared back at him, his eyes glittering harshly. "It is hardly my concern."_

"_Aye, __it __is __your __concern!__" __Carson insisted__.__ "__She's __your _daughter_!__"_

"_I've __told __you, __Dr.__Beckett, __I __have __no __daughter.__" __Dougal's __green __eyes __met __angry __blue __ones.__ "__I __have __a __servant __who __broke __the __law __and __will __bear __the __consequences.__"_

"_Not __if __I __can __help __it.__" __Carson's __low __words __surprised __even __him. __He'd __often __wondered __how __men __could __treat __their __women __in __such __horrible __fashion, __and __he'd __always __tried __to __be __a __buffer __between __those __he __cared __about __and __the __cruelties __of __the __world. __Still, __he __failed __quite __often __and __usually __consoled __himself __with __doing __as __much __as __he __possibly __could._

_Dougal studied Carson closely. "There is only one way to prevent it, Dr. Beckett. Unless you decide to take her place, you cannot stop the punishment from happening. You will be safely back on Atlantis before then."  
><em>

_Still angrier than he'd been since coming to Atlantis, Carson blinked rapidly. "Take her place?"_

"_Yes.__" __Dougal __smiled __again.__ "__There __is __a __law __among __our __people. __If __one __feels __their __loved __one __cannot __handle __the __punishment __or __is __being __treated __unfairly, __that __person __can __trade __places, __taking __the __punishment __upon __themselves. __Both __will __be __imprisoned __for __a __set __amount __of __time, __and __both __will __be __released. __But __the __severity __of __the __punishment __falls __upon __the __one __who __intervenes.__"_

_Behind him, Baker shifted nervously. "Doc." The warning in his tone sounded much like Sheppard's voice at that moment. Carson held Dougal's glare, weighing his options. He wasn't a soldier or trained to handle these kinds of situations. He was a medical doctor, a healer. What kind of healing could he do if he was flogged? If he took the punishment—something Elizabeth would likely not forgive him for doing—he'd be unable to treat any patient for a long time. If he didn't, however, an innocent woman would die._

_That made his decision. "I'll do it."_

_The soft answer created a stir. Baker erupted indignantly and tried to intervene. Dougal physically stopped the lieutenant, saying that their law prevented anyone from interfering the proceedings once they'd begun. And by agreeing, Carson had begun the proceedings. Of course, Baker fought back, and the resulting fight drew men from Dougal's property who overwhelmed the young lieutenant and his team quite quickly. Carson watched stoically, determined to see this through. In the process of the fight, Baker landed one good punch on Dougal's face, and the village elder roared in anger. By the end of the chaos, Baker and his team had been wrestled into what passed for a jail cell, their weapons taken by virtue of sheer numbers._

_Carson remained unmoved by it all, his course already set. He kept the stoic expression on his face as he was unceremoniously dragged from the room. He stayed expressionless as Dougal shoved Reya into the village square. And he managed to hang on to his dignity as he was tied to the whipping post. Aye, compassion had a price, he realized. And he'd pay it gladly, if only to save Reya from experiencing this for herself._

_He clenched his jaw as his jacket was torn from his body, the force causing the fabric to cut into him. Squeezing his eyes shut, he stayed silent as the first crack of the whip struck his back._

oOo

John Sheppard walked back through the gate with a pleasant expression on his face. Elizabeth rushed to meet him and his team as the wormhole closed behind them. She looked worried, something he'd learned to read in her expressions throughout the last eighteen or so months. "What happened?"

She gave him a rueful smile and sighed. "Dr. Beckett's team is an hour late for check-in."

"Beckett's off world?"

"Yes." Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Just after you left, we received a call for assistance from M48-217."

"The Scottish planet?" John asked. The nickname had stuck after Carson's last visit, when he'd virtually gushed on and on about how similar the world looked to Scotland.

"Yes, the Scottish planet." Elizabeth included Rodney, Teyla, and Ronon in her report. "We received word that Dougal needed Beckett's assistance. I sent him through with Lieutenant Baker and his team. They're an hour overdue."

"And you're worried." John glanced at his team. "Well, we just came from walking through meadows, picking flowers, and talking about how much of a _giant_ waste of time our mission was. We'll check it out."

"Thank you." Elizabeth turned to Chuck. "Dial it up."

As the Stargate began dialing, John watched impassively. The last time Beckett had been off world, _John_ had paid the price. He'd turned into a bug, and only Beckett's medical brilliance had saved his life. He refused to consider anything less than bringing the doctor home.

~TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Within the hour, Carson was able to roll onto his side. He pulled the threadbare blanket up to cover his bare chest, but he could do nothing about his back. His neck muscles protested the awkward position he'd been in since arriving in this hut. Refusing to think about that, he eyed Reya as she huddled across the way. She hadn't spoken since confessing to conceiving a child out of wedlock. Carson could have cared less if she no longer had relations with the babe's father, but she'd done the right thing. She'd allowed the man to marry her, and, from the brief time she'd spoken of him, he could tell her husband was a hero in her eyes.

Moving slowly so as not to irritate his back any further, Carson propped his head on his arm, lying on the only cot in the room. Reya was pale, a result of the blood loss from her miscarriage, and it made her bruises stand out against her skin. Her hair still fell around her face in a gloriously tangled mess, but it gave her a wild appearance. For a moment, Carson was transported back in time to the days when his family visited the Highlands. Reya could pass for his sister in those days, running and skipping along the hills.

Shaking the memory from his mind, he broke the silence. "Wha's his name?"

Reya looked up from where she'd stared at her feet. She met his eyes and smiled ever so slightly. "Jotham." She paused for just a moment. "The last time I saw him, he was bound and. . . ." Her voice broke, and Carson cursed his inability to get up to comfort her.

"I'm so verra sorry, love," he said softly.

She nodded. "You did not have to take my place."

"Yes I did," he said carefully. "I couldnae allow ye ta be punished when it might have killed ye."

She turned those amazing green eyes to him, eyes that he wished held more than grief and fear. "Why did you do it?"

"Because I'm a doctor. I _save_ lives, an' I couldnae stand 'round while ye were strapped to a post and beaten." He shook his head. "I couldnae live wi' it."

For a very long moment, Reya studied him. Her eyes narrowed, and Carson resisted the urge to squirm. Lying in front of a pretty woman—married or not—was not how he wanted to remember his visit to the only planet to ever remind him of home. Yet, here he was, of his own free will. She finally sighed. "Thank you."

He glanced away. "I only wish I could ha'e done more."

Neither of them spoke again until a mysterious benefactor arrived with their evening meal.

oOo

"He did _what_?" Sheppard's furious voice echoed through the study of Dougal's croft. He stood in front of the village elder, doing his best to incinerate the guy with his glare. From the way Ronon shifted, Sheppard knew the Satedan had reached for his weapon. "And you _allowed_ him?"

Dougal shrugged as if totally unconcerned. "He chose to take the servant's place. I cannot say why he did so, but it was his decision. And we honored it."

"You honored it?" Sheppard's voice dropped from the angry volume it had reached a moment ago. He stepped toward Dougal, making sure to keep his P90 menacingly in front of him. "A member of _my_ team, someone from _Atlantis_, was flogged at your post."

McKay interrupted. "Do you have _any_ idea what that means to us?"

"By our law, Dr. Beckett was well within his rights to intervene. And there is only one way to intervene in this situation." Dougal met all of their eyes. "I am sorry, and I hope this will not affect our trade relations. But you must understand that Dr. Beckett chose this."

"Because you gave him no choice!" Sheppard glared, his mind already racing to figure out exactly how Elizabeth would react. Her Chief of Medicine had been flogged in public, humiliated, and had, according to this guy, chosen to do so of his own free will.

Teyla stepped forward before Sheppard could say anything. "What will happen to him now?"

Dougal's gaze shifted from Sheppard to her. "He will remain confined for the duration of the servant's punishment."

McKay folded his arms across his chest. "And how long is that, hmm?"

Dougal finally showed signs of uncertainty. His gaze darted away from all of them, and he shifted on his feet. "Normally, in cases such as this, the servant and her replacement would be confined for the remainder of their lives. Given the unique circumstances, however, I am willing to release Dr. Beckett back to you after a month."

"A _month_?" This time, Rodney nearly shouted. "Carson isn't just some medic on Atlantis. He _runs_ our medical department! He can't be gone for a month!"

Teyla again intervened. "What Dr. McKay is trying to say is that Dr. Beckett is not simply a member of our people. He is part of our leadership and very close to Dr. Weir."

"I am sorry," Dougal said again. He refused to meet their gazes. "I will release Lieutenant Baker and his men to you. They were arrested for attacking me, but I realize they were only trying to protect Dr. Beckett. But Dr. Beckett _must_ stay here. I cannot change that."

Sheppard continued to glare, knowing the man likely felt the heat of his anger without another word being spoken. When he'd come through the gate, he'd expected to find that Beckett and his team had merely lost track of time while the good doctor treated a few local illnesses. Discovering that a member of his team had been flogged and then imprisoned in order to take someone else's place shocked each of them. And angered them. Sheppard worked his jaw as he tried to find his voice so that he could issue an ultimatum. Release Beckett or face Atlantis's wrath.

A knock sounded before then. The team turned as another man rushed into the room. He was dressed similar to Dougal and had the same aristocratic bearing. Carrot-colored hair fell to his shoulders, and his beard fairly glowed in the late evening sunlight. "Dougal, I apologize for interrupting. I did not realize that you had visitors."

Dougal gave Sheppard a meaningful glance. "They were just leaving."

"No-ooo," Sheppard said with a smirk that belied the danger in his eyes. "We weren't just leaving. We just barely arrived."

The newcomer ignored him. "Again, I apologize. But _he_ escaped."

Sheppard watched the change come over Dougal. The village elder seethed, and his face hardened. "When?"

"I do not know. Sometime after the. . . ." The man eyed Sheppard. ". . .after the flogging."

Dougal turned to face Sheppard. "Forgive me. But I must attend to this matter. A dangerous criminal has escaped, and we must locate him. I believe you know your way out." He left the room before they could answer.

Sheppard turned to face his team as the door closed behind their rude host. He wanted to say something, but Teyla shook her head. She nodded toward the door, and he understood. While Dougal's people weren't technologically advanced, they weren't above stationing someone next to the door to eavesdrop.

Leading the group from the room, Sheppard nodded once to Eilis out of courtesy more than anything as he left the house. The rest of his team followed him, and he glanced at the sky. The sun was setting, and they had an hour of daylight left—if that. Ronon also picked up on his thoughts and met his eyes. "What do you wanna do?"

Sheppard slipped his aviators onto his face. "Find Beckett."

McKay glanced around. "What? Now?"

"Yeah, Rodney, now!" Sheppard glared. "I don't know about you, but I'm sure the doc would appreciate heading back to Atlantis for some medical treatment and pain medications."

"Right. Of course." McKay looked suitably chastised.

Sheppard turned and looked around, trying to get a feel for the village. The elder's croft, as Carson called the house, sat at the edge of the village, facing toward the central square. Other houses and businesses bordered the marketplace, but outlying homes held more people than they cared to count. This was a farming community, and farms tended to have a _lot_ of land attached to them.

Ronon moved to John's side. "I don't think he's in the village. These people would want to keep their prisoners away from their citizens, and that means out in the countryside."

"Yeah," Sheppard agreed. "Any ideas where?"

"No, but I should be able to figure it out." Ronon frowned at the ground. "The main roads leaving the village will have a lot of traffic that's old. But, based on what I've seen, these people don't have problems with the law very often. That means the path to their prison or whatever should be easy to find."

Sheppard motioned with his hand, indicating that Ronon needed to take the lead. The Satedan took off toward the gate, and the entire team knew what he was doing. He was giving the impression of leaving while planning to circle around the village and find the path. John glanced at the sky one more time. He just hoped they had enough daylight.

oOo

Another hour passed before Carson found the strength to sit up. He ground his teeth together but wasn't able to suppress the growl that rumbled in his throat at the pain. As his muscles shifted, the cuts along where he'd been flogged pulled and made him wince. But it felt good to be upright.

As he moved, Reya carried a rough work shirt over to him and then turned her back, sensing his desire for privacy. Carson accepted it. "Thank you, dear." His soft voice seemed loud in the hut, and he felt the cool breeze of late evening starting to permeate the building. With only one cot, he'd be forced to lie on the dirt floor in order to get Reya to rest. Somehow, he doubted she'd allow that.

Clenching his jaw to keep from making any noise, Carson lifted the shirt over his head and carefully let it fall over his back. As soon as he'd covered himself, he pushed aside the blanket. He still wore the pants for his Atlantis uniform, but he didn't need to be told that his shirt and jacket were destroyed. At first, his thin shirt had shielded his skin from the flogging. But, after several moments, Dougal had insisted it be removed. _That_ was when the punishment really began hurting.

Wishing for a mirror so that he could assess the damage, Carson pushed to his feet and swayed slightly. His head nearly touched the ceiling with only an inch or two to spare, and he wryly mused that Ronon wouldn't fit in this thing. Moving to Reya's side, he did his best to hide exactly how unsteady he felt. "How long will we be here?"

She glanced up at him. "I do not know. Since you are from Atlantis, he may release you."

"But not you?"

"No." She turned to stare between the bamboo stalks at the glimpses of the sunset they could see. "I will remain here until my death."

"But I thought. . . ."

"That you'd free me by taking the flogging?" She sneered. "Yes, he would tell you such a thing. But the truth, Carson, is that you are stuck here with me. The law says that prisoners will be released after a determined length of time. But, for me, there is none."

"Why?"

"Because I am no longer his daughter. And servants who escape are seen as some of the worst criminals."

Carson wanted to rail against the injustice of it, against the thought that any society saw this as a good form of government. But he refused to say anything that would further humiliate Reya. She was a victim in all of this, and he could not hold her responsible for their current situation. Had he not intervened, he was certain she would be dead. Even now, she was pale and showing weakness associated with blood loss.

Noise outside drew his attention. Carson moved to the wall of the hut, peering through the cracks and twilight to try to identify who approached. "Here." The rough voice, so out of place for the absolute silence that had surrounded them for hours, startled Carson. He whirled and had to steady himself with a hand on the wall of the hut. Between the stalks, he saw Ronon headed their way from the opposite direction, followed closely by Sheppard, Teyla, and Rodney. Whatever Dougal had used to lock them inside was no match for Ronon's blaster, and the door soon swung open.

Carson tried to grin. "It's about bloody time!"

Rodney frowned. "Hey, Carson, you doing okay?"

"No." Carson hated to admit it, but he silenced Rodney's next question with a direct gaze at Sheppard. "Dougal has agreed ta release us?"

"Not exactly." Sheppard eyed Reya, the anger that had been simmering in his eyes now flaring into an all-out inferno as he saw the injuries on her body. "He's agreed to release Baker and his team. He wants you to remain here for another month."

"But I thought. . . ." Carson turned to Reya. "You said he might release me."

She didn't answer but merely shrugged.

Sheppard nodded. "Doesn't matter, Doc. We're here now, and we can leave if we go quickly. Dougal's been distracted by the escape of an actual criminal, or so his visitor said. We have an opportunity, but we need to leave now."

"Visitor?" Carson frowned, still trying to work out the change in their situation. "You want me to escape?"

"Yeah!"

"I can't." Carson watched the reactions to his objection. "If I leave now, Dougal will return an' take it out on Reya."

Sheppard glanced at the young woman in the hut. "She can come with us."

Carson almost agreed, but Reya put a hand on his arm. "I cannot leave until I know that Jotham is safe."

Rodney frowned. "Jotham?"

"My husband," Reya answered. "He was taken at the same time I was because we married without consent from our families."

Carson let out a deep breath. "It's a feudal society, Colonel. Reya and Jotham are from different classes, and that was frowned upon by their society. That Reya was Dougal's daughter did not help matters. He's got a temper that would put a Scotsman to shame."

Sheppard frowned at him. "Coming from a Scot, that says a lot."

"Aye, that it does," Carson agreed. He leaned a little more on the wall, not wanting to show the team exactly how badly injured he really was.

Sheppard considered their situation for a moment. "Do you know where Jotham is being kept?"

Reya shook her head. "No." Her eyes fell. "He was returned to his. . .lord."

"And who is that?" Sheppard asked.

"His name is Cashel." She looked up almost desperately. "Cashel is even crueler than my father. If he has Jotham for long, he may. . . ." Her voice cracked, and Carson put a hand on her shoulder.

Sheppard ran a hand over his face, his frustration with the situation seeming to grow with every passing moment. Carson tried to head it off at the pass. "Reya, if you come wi' us now, perhaps we can return and try ta find Jotham when Dr. Weir handles the diplomacy of this entire situation."

"You still do not understand!" Reya's eyes filled with tears. "Jotham tried to protect me when they came for us. He put up a fight, wounding Cashel's son in the process. It is a serious wound, one that may take his life. Cashel will see Jotham executed at sunrise."

Teyla stepped forward, her voice gentle as she put a hand on Reya's other shoulder. "Perhaps we can speak to this Cashel. If you tell us what he looks like, then we may be able to negotiate for both of your releases as a condition of Atlantis's continued support."

Even Reya knew it was a stretch, and her face said as much as she regarded Teyla. "Cashel is the same size as my father, though ruddy. He has orange hair that he keeps long with a well-trimmed beard."

Carson watched Sheppard's face change at her description. "You know him?"

"Yeah." Sheppard's brows dropped into a glare. "While we were talking with Dougal, he came into the office. Told Dougal a dangerous criminal had escaped."

Reya's voice caught, but she managed to speak. "Jotham is no criminal. He was fighting to protect me!"

Sensing the situation spiraling out of control, Carson held up a hand to still Reya's pleas. He had the perfect solution, though no one there would like it, him the least of all. But it would solve their problems with getting Reya out of the situation. "Colonel, let me stay here. If I escape, ye'll have a tough time o' reestablishin' trade relations. Let me stay here while ye find this Jotham. Then, we go back to Atlantis."

Just as he'd expected, John glared at him. "You can't be serious, Carson."

"Aye, I am." Carson straightened as much as possible and moved to Sheppard's side, speaking very softly. "Reya's already lost her unborn child to Dougal's cruelty. I do not trust him to keep her alive once I leave. An' right now, the only way we're goin' ta get her ta leave is either by kidnappin' her or findin' her husband. Personally, I'd rather see a happy reunion than a grieving woman."

Sheppard nodded once. "You know what you're asking for, Doc."

"Aye," Carson agreed. "But would we continue trade relations even after they kidnapped and flogged me? Even the Genii have not gone that far."

"We'll agree to disagree about the Genii, Doc." Sheppard still obviously stung over Kolya's invasion of Atlantis during their first year in Pegasus. "But you're right about Elizabeth. She'll be furious when she finds out."

Sensing that he'd won the argument, Carson waited for the answer. Sheppard eyed him again. "Are you going to be alright? I mean. . . ." He motioned to the rough brown shirt that Carson now wore. "Obviously your uniform was ruined."

"Och, I'll be fine." Carson smiled, but the pain in his back betrayed him. He winced as he tried to shrug, and it gave him away. At Sheppard's pointed look, he waved a hand. "I've got a couple o' wounds that may be deep. But I'm not showin' signs of infection, an' I should be alright for a day or two. Just long enough for ye ta find Jotham and get us out of here."

Sheppard stared at him for a long moment. The night had settled during their conversation, and Carson felt the chill of it permeating the hut. Finally, John turned to Reya. "How often are you brought food and such?"

"I do not know." Reya couldn't meet his eyes. "Normally, the family of the prisoners bring them food, but, since Carson doesn't have family here, I have no knowledge of what my father intends to do to keep us fed."

Sheppard's jaw clenched again as he realized their situation. "Okay, look. We're going to head back to the gate and, providing it's not guarded, radio for backup. And a Jumper. That way, we can track down Jotham and hopefully find him before Dougal does. In the meantime, we'll leave you with what rations we have. That should keep you until tomorrow. If we haven't found him by morning, then we'll try to bring you some warm coats and supplies."

Carson nodded, surprised that Sheppard had given in so easily. He'd have to deal with the fall-out back on Atlantis, he knew. Elizabeth would be none-too-pleased that her Chief of Medicine placed his life in danger in this fashion. But, if he could reunite Reya with Jotham, it would be well worth the risk.

Surprising them all, Ronon shrugged out of the massive coat he wore and gave it to Carson. "Here. It's not much but. . .uh. . ."

"Thank you, Ronon." Carson knew the Satedan wasn't accustomed to showing his emotions very well. But the gesture demonstrated how loyal he was to this team.

Sheppard cleared his throat. "Do you know where Jotham might hide?"

Reya thought for a moment. "There are caves near the Ring of the Ancestors. A lot of them are dangerous, but he might try to hide there. If not, he would go to the western side of the village, away from society into the Bad Lands."

McKay shifted on his feet. "Bad Lands?"

Reya's smile was gentle in spite of her urgency. "They are only _bad_ if you do not know how to survive. And Jotham does. But he may not have much time if Cashel is searching for him."

Sheppard emptied his pockets of the few power bars he'd packed, indicating to the others that they do the same. Rodney fussed, of course, until Sheppard pointed out they could get more when the Jumper arrived. Making sure Carson and Reya had some food for the night was more important. Finally, Sheppard met Carson's eyes. "First thing tomorrow morning. Be ready to go. We should have Jotham by then."

"Aye, Colonel, I hope so." Carson waited while Sheppard closed the door and fixed the lock so it looked untouched. Through the bamboo stalks, he peered into the darkness. "Good luck."

"Thank you," came Sheppard's dry voice. "We'll need it."

~TBC


	3. Chapter 3

As soon as Sheppard and his team left, Carson sagged against the flimsy wall. He vaguely wondered exactly what these people were thinking to imprison them in such poorly constructed huts. They must not have been considered "dangerous" if they'd been kept in a place such as this.

Reya moved to his side, her face pale in the moonlight. "You should rest, Carson."

"Aye," he admitted as he looked at her. "How are ye feelin'?"

"Do not worry about me." She glanced away uncomfortably. "You were the one who was flogged."

"Aye, an' I will heal." He stopped her from leading him to the bed. "Reya, ye must take care of yourself right now."

She snorted. "In a prison hut?"

"Aye," he insisted. "Listen, Colonel Sheppard and his team will find Jotham. When they do, they'll return for us. I can hold out for a few days, longer if need be. But I'm worried about ye, lass. What happens if they find Jotham but you're not well enough ta leave?"

_That_ made an impression. She blinked at his blunt question, something Carson regretted momentarily, and glanced away from him. "I am cold. But I know you are as well."

He nodded. The chill was to be expected, as was the weakness in her voice and the way her face blanched as he helped her sit on the low cot. His back pulled painfully against barely-scabbed wounds, but he hadn't lost the amount of blood that she had. He gently laid her down, brushing her tangled hair away from her face when she frowned up at him. "Rest, love. Ye'll be reunited with Jotham soon."

She caught his wrist. "Thank you, Carson."

He smiled, reminded of his sister at that moment. "You're welcome." He spread Ronon's warm coat over her and pulled it gently around her shoulders. She'd curled into a ball, a testament to her true physical condition and tugged the coat a little closer. Her age struck Carson, and he shook his head. She was so young to have to go through a trial such as this, and Ronon's coat made her look even smaller.

With Reya snuggled warmly into the cot, Carson carried the thin blanket to the wall of the hut and eased himself down onto the floor. He couldn't hide the grimace of pain or the deep sigh of relief when he finally made it down, but he did manage to contain the sudden hiss that wanted to escape. As he covered his shoulders with the blanket, he breathed a silent prayer of thanks that it was approaching winter. They'd not have to deal with as many vermin this way. Leaning his head against the thin wall, he allowed his mind to drift.

"What is it like?" Reya's soft question broke the silence. Carson blinked, surprised that he'd managed to doze lightly, and met her eyes. They shined in the weak moonlight and told him that she needed a distraction from the grief and worry that pressed in on her mind.

"You mean Atlantis?"

She shook her head. "No. Your home."

Carson smiled at that. "Scotland. Oh, it's lovely," he said with a deep sigh. "In fact, it looks a lot like your world does. Well, parts of it does. Down near Glasgow an' Edinburgh, 'tis a bit different."

"And does everyone there speak as you do?"

"Ye mean my accent?" He shook his head. "Aye. An' no. Ta be fair, there are a lot of accents in Scotland. People only a few miles from one another can speak totally different dialects. An' there's even a whole 'nother language, called Gaelic, or Scottish Gaelic."

"Do you speak this language?"

"Aye, a bit."

"Say something."

Carson thought for a moment of all the proverbs his mother enjoyed quoting and picked one that best suited their situation. "_Innsidh __na __ge__ò__idh __as __t-fhoghar __e._ It means, 'All will be revealed in due course.'"

She smiled. "You miss your home."

"Aye, I do." Carson let out a deep breath. "But I have no doubt that I'll see it again."

Reya got the message, that Carson trusted Sheppard to return for them. She opened her mouth to speak again, but noise outside their hut drew their attention. Carson frowned, seeing torchlight approach. Reya moved quickly, shoving the coat she'd been using for warmth under the blanket and gathering up the pile of power bars Sheppard had left. Carson pushed to his feet, unable to suppress the groan this time, and put a hand on the wall of the hut to steady himself. Once steady, he handed the blanket to Reya, seeing how she shivered. He'd only just finished giving it to her when the lock on their hut was disturbed.

The door flung open, and Dougal strode inside. The torch he carried lit the hut brightly, and Carson blinked against the brightness. When it cleared, he realized a second man had crowded into the tiny space. With red hair that came to his shoulders and a closely trimmed beard, it could only be Cashel.

Ignoring Carson, Dougal glared at Reya. "Where is he?"

Reya blinked. "I do not know."

"Do _not_ lie to me!" Dougal's voice rose, and Cashel smiled cruelly behind him. "I know you are aware of his whereabouts. You were married, after all."

Reya pushed to her feet and let her blanket drop to the bed. "We _are_ married, and I do not know." The steel in her voice surprised Carson and told him that she had a bit of her father in her.

Dougal must have realized it, as well. He moved forward with his hand raised as if to strike her. Instead, he met with Carson, who stepped between the two. Barely able to conceal the pain in his back, Carson lowered his chin and glared at the man. His jaw clenched, and he knew from what his mother told him that he could look rather fierce when angered. He allowed that famous Scottish temper to rise, knowing it would protect him.

Dougal's hand, opened as if to slap his daughter, closed into a fist. Quicker than Carson anticipated, he landed a strong right hook directly on Carson's jaw. Carson went down, hearing laughter and Reya's squeaky cry. Her voice still hadn't recovered from her father's initial attack. Carson felt her hands on his shoulder as he turned, already groaning as pressure on his back combined with the headache now roaring behind his eyes and in his jaw. Cashel stood behind Dougal, giggling at the show.

Not allowing Reya's concern to sway him, Carson sat up and glared at Dougal. "Ye'll not get away wi' this. My people will come for me."

"Your people have already come and left, Dr. Beckett." Dougal's voice cut through the air sharply. "They've chosen to leave you to our justice."

"I don't believe you." Carson dragged himself to his feet, unwillingly accepting Reya's help simply to keep up appearances. The last thing he wanted was to collapse back onto the floor because of a wave of dizziness. "Colonel Sheppard doesn't leave people behind. He will return."

Cashel chose that moment to jump into the conversation. "Believe it all you wish, Dr. Beckett. It will not change the truth." He turned to Reya. "As for Jotham, believe me when I tell you that you will not see him again. I will make certain he is never found once I am finished."

Reya's hands began to tremble as they held on to Carson's arm.

Dougal glanced between the two. "Rest assured that we will find him. And, if we do not locate him by morning, we will be back to learn his location." His voice dropped, and he held Carson's gaze as he finished by saying, "No matter how we must extract it from you."

The two men left them alone, and Carson couldn't stop the groan that escaped as his knees buckled. Reya tried to catch him, but she did little more than break his fall. "Carson!"

He nodded as he scooted back against the wall of the hut. "I'll be fine, love." Looking up into her frightened eyes, he put as much confidence into his voice as possible. "Colonel Sheppard _will_ find him," he whispered softly so that no one still listening could possibly overhear. Holding her gaze, he took her hand. "Trust me. He will."

Reya blinked and then nodded before returning to the cot. Carson let her go, no longer caring about the agony in his back. He didn't have the strength to move, anyway. Breaking the silence again, he let out a deep breath. "Reya, dear, do me a favor."

"Anything."

"I hit my head on the way down." He closed his eyes. "I think I have a wee concussion, an' it's makin' me sleepy. Wake me every two or three hours, please."

She moved slightly, rustling around under the cot. "I will try."

"Thank ye."

Just as he started drifting, she shifted again. "I hope men in your country are not like they are here."

Though the situation was dire, he couldn't help but smile dryly. "I promise you they're not."

Nothing more was said, and Carson drifted to sleep.

oOo

Sheppard stormed up to the gate to find Baker and his team already milling around. The lieutenant met his eyes, coming to parade rest in spite of his split lip and cut cheek. "Colonel, please accept my apologies for not. . . ."

"Save it, Baker," Sheppard interrupted. "You couldn't have stopped Beckett any more than I could have."

As McKay started dialing, Baker blinked. "Yes, Sir," he said, surprised.

Sheppard strode toward the event horizon of the wormhole. "Just be ready to head back out as soon as we collect some supplies." He felt the familiar cool rush of wormhole travel and emerged on Atlantis, blinking in the bright afternoon sunshine. Elizabeth rushed down the stairs, taking in the battered team that followed Sheppard. John waved a hand. "Long story short, Beckett took the punishment for a girl who did nothing wrong. He's refusing to leave until she does, and she's refusing to leave until we find her husband."

Elizabeth blinked and floundered for a second. "Okay. What do you need?"

"A Jumper." Sheppard paused. "Has Lorne returned yet?"

"No. He dialed in just a few moments ago to say that they'd been asked to attend a banquet honoring the trade agreement he managed to negotiate." She eyed him. "If you need him, I can recall his team."

"No, we don't have enough time." Sheppard met her eyes. "I need a doctor to meet us at the Jumper bay. Beckett's in bad shape, though he didn't want us to see it. And the girl he's imprisoned with is just as bad."

Elizabeth touched her radio and ordered Dr. Amanda Cole to the Jumper bay. Sheppard nodded his thanks and headed that direction. Once there, he waited impatiently until Cole appeared, feeling as if an hour had passed rather than the fifteen minutes it took her to pack an emergency kit and get geared up. She settled in the rear compartment of the Jumper to take a quick look at Baker and his team while Sheppard powered up the small craft. As they passed through the wormhole back to Dougal's world, she murmured softly to the team behind her.

In all honesty, Sheppard expected to find Jotham with relative ease. The Jumper's life signs detectors should locate single individuals hiding out in caves. Unless, of course, those caves had some sort of mineral that shielded them from scans. Deciding to keep that thought to himself rather than jinx the entire mission, he continued fuming as he flew in a wide circle above the village.

Beckett had no right to do what he'd done. In all the time they'd been on Atlantis, they'd only received ill rewards for trying to help, and Beckett usually took the brunt of it. Just look at Hoff. The good doctor was tenderhearted, yes, but that left him open to all kinds of attacks. Just seeing him strap on a side-arm after the entire incident with Ford and Ronon had stung. That Beckett felt the need to wear a weapon told of the change in his personality. A year ago, he would have hesitated to even pick the thing up. Instead, he'd gone to shooting Ellia when she'd attacked McKay. Men like Sheppard and Ronon were supposed to have that level of calm, not doctors like Beckett.

Even as he thought these things, Sheppard knew that Beckett had acted totally in character. The doctor worked to save lives, and he would have intervened if he felt that Reya wouldn't survive a flogging. He likely believed that he could take the continued punishment better than she, and he'd probably considered Sheppard's commitment to leave no man behind. And, in truth, Reya had looked horrible when they'd seen her an hour or so ago. Sheppard remembered her as pretty but shy, showing only hints of the personality that lay under her calm demeanor. Tonight, she'd been almost white, and her weakness had showed in how breathless she sounded and the slowness of her movements. Something bigger than just a beating had happened to her, and Beckett knew what it was. He was protecting Reya as if she were his younger sister, and Sheppard tried to figure out what he'd missed.

"There." McKay's voice interrupted his thoughts. They'd been flying in a spiral pattern, starting with the village and fanning out. Now, McKay pulled up the HUD and pointed at a single blip on the screen. "That _has_ to be him."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. Look at all the dots closing in around him."

"Cashel and Dougal." Sheppard turned the Jumper in that direction.

McKay nodded. "That would be my guess."

"Okay. We head for him, get him out of there and back on Atlantis." Sheppard glanced over the members of his team, including Baker and Cole in the glance. "Right now, Beckett and Reya are safe. They can hold out for a few more hours while we get Jotham out of here. But we're going to have to be quick. Baker, you and your team stay here, with the doc. I want the Jumper covered in case one of them finds it. Besides, we may need the back up."

Baker and his team nodded their understanding and tightened their grips on their weapons even though they weren't happy about it. Sheppard landed the Jumper near the cave where they suspected Jotham was hiding and jumped out of his chair. Ronon followed him, and he felt Teyla fall into step. Turning on the flashlight attached to his P90, he moved into the darkness.

The cave was damp and smelled horrible. Water dripped from somewhere in the rear, and Sheppard blinked into the inky darkness. Even the light from his P90 couldn't penetrate some of the shadows. Ronon shifted uneasily, and that made Sheppard's skin crawl. Someone was in here, stalking them. And, because of the darkness, he couldn't see him.

"John!" Teyla's shout brought his head around, and he saw the movement in time to duck. A long, thick branch whistled over his head and would have knocked him to the ground if he hadn't moved quick enough. Ronon's blaster whined, but Sheppard didn't get out of the way. He rushed the form he now saw, pushing the man into the wall of the cave. His attacker's satisfying "umph" was lost on him.

Jotham—if this was, indeed, Jotham—was a bit larger than Sheppard expected. After looking at Reya, he'd anticipated finding a boy not much older than she was. Instead, this man had the size of a blacksmith, along with the resulting strength. His dirty blond hair fell over his ears in stringy waves, a testament to his own fight for survival. And he was just as battered as Reya and Carson. "Who are you?"

Sheppard stepped back from him when he felt the fight go out of the guy. "Who are you?"

"My name is Jotham." The man's blue eyes scanned the group. "You are not from the village?"

"No." Sheppard grabbed his arm. "But people from the village will be here soon if we don't get out of here."

"I cannot leave!" Jotham pulled his arm from Sheppard's grip. "My wife has been unjustly imprisoned, and I must find a way to free her."

Sheppard opened his mouth to reply, but Teyla interrupted. "Your wife is safe. She is with a member of our expedition and will be reunited with you shortly. Now, we must move before the villagers arrive."

McKay, who had been keeping an eye on the hand-held life-signs detector, shook his head. "Too late."

Thinking quickly, Sheppard waved to the rest of his team, and they extinguished their flashlights. The resulting darkness blinded all of them, but the brightness of the moon soon made an impression. Ronon moved to the cave's entrance and peered out. Sheppard joined him.

Men with torches already moved along the openings of the various caves in this area. Though Sheppard had left the Jumper cloaked—along with Cole and Baker inside—they had no way of getting there without drawing undue attention. He heard Dougal shout out orders to his men to "spare no life," and he ground his teeth together to silence a growl. He turned to the group. "Ideas?"

~TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Well, folks, here's the final chapter. I hope you've enjoyed this little "episode," as I see it in my mind. Again, thanks to **pisces317** and **GraceW** for patiently beta-ing this one for me! And a special thanks to Gateworld for the use of their transcripts. Enjoy! ~lg

oOo

The torchlight drew closer to Sheppard and his team, and no one came up with an idea. Sheppard himself counted lights and knew that they couldn't take the number of people out there. Even armed with swords and bows, the numbers were overpowering. McKay stared wide-eyed at his life signs detector, and Jotham's breathing increased. _Great,_ Sheppard thought. _If __we __don't __get __him __calmed __down, __he'll __hyperventilate __along __with __McKay!_

A whine broke the silence. Sheppard blinked as he recognized it. Someone had powered up the Jumper. The oncoming crowd heard the whine, as well, and Sheppard recognized Cashel's red hair as the man whirled to the empty spot where the Jumper had been cloaked. The Ancient vessel rippled into view and took off.

"_After __it!_" Cashel yelled. Men with bows took aim, their weapons bouncing harmlessly off of the hull of the Jumper. As Sheppard watched, the pilot flew toward one end of the valley, turned, and came back at a decent clip, buzzing the heads of the crowd. Torches were dropped, and men cowered in fear. The Jumper turned again and buzzed the group a second time. Men started running, not accustomed to having such a large machine flying within a foot over their heads. Sheppard thought about stories he'd heard of pilots barnstorming and couldn't help the grin that crossed his face. Even Cashel huddled like a coward.

Three more passes were enough to scatter the crowd and send Cashel packing. The Jumper returned and landed, no longer bothering to cloak as the back hatch was lowered. Sheppard shoved Jotham ahead of him and into the Jumper, where Baker sat at the controls. Cole welcomed the frightened man inside and pointed him to a seat.

As he stepped out of the cave, movement in the bright moonlight caught Sheppard's eye. A form—likely Dougal or Cashel—took off from where he'd been hiding against the craggy rock face of a nearby hill.

Ronon caught the movement. "Sheppard!"

"Yeah, I see him." He pointed at Baker as Ronon gave chase. "Get Jotham back to Atlantis. We'll catch up later. Hey, Chewy, wait up!"

As the Jumper rose slowly into the night sky, Sheppard raced after Ronon and the man who, in all likelihood, had headed straight for Carson and Reya's hut. He put as much speed into the chase as possible, hoping to catch the man before he did any further damage.

oOo

The door of their hut banged open and woke Carson from a relatively peaceful sleep. He jerked, the slouched position he'd been in suddenly changed when a hand grabbed the front of his shirt. Reya had already roused him once, and he'd thanked her before going back to sleep. Now, he blinked in surprise as Dougal dragged him out of the hut. He couldn't stop the cry of pain as his pounding head combined with the pulling on the wounds in his back. He was tossed into the dirt and unceremoniously kicked in the ribs. Carson doubled over, groaning and praying he didn't have a punctured lung or some other complication.

"You!" Dougal yelled, spittle flying as he yanked Carson from the dirt and slammed his back into the wall of the hut.

"No!" Reya's cry was still far from strong, but the panic in her voice told another story. She flew at her father, her small hands beating his shoulders and clawing at the hand closing around Carson's neck. "Let him go!"

Dougal swatted at her with a strong arm and sent her to the dirt. "Stay out of this, woman!" He glared at Carson, tightening the grip on his neck. "This _man_ will pay for what he has done."

"Wha' I have done?" Carson's eyes bulged as the grip around his throat closed off his airways. His hands scrabbled against Dougal's, and his feet kicked at him. But the other man was too strong for him in his weakened state.

Reya climbed to her feet and charged her father again. But her fight was ineffective against his anger. Just as darkness started closing on Carson's vision, a single shot rang out. Dougal's hand abruptly loosened its grip, and Carson fell into a gasping heap on the ground. He knew he'd likely have a bruise, and he felt the swelling in his trachea that indicated some level of injury.

Dougal had flown backwards when he was shot, his shoulder bleeding in the moonlight. He rolled onto his back as Sheppard walked forward, his jaw dangerously clenched as he aimed his side-arm at the man. Reya rushed to Carson's side, helping him to his feet as he drew in deep breaths of air. Using her shoulder to steady himself, he glared down at Dougal. His doctor's training told him he should try to help the man, but his emotions and temper left him unable to do so.

Dougal, however, was clearly too enraged to see the truth of his situation. He pushed to his feet and charged Sheppard, drawing a knife from behind his back in the process.

The fight ended quickly with both Sheppard and Ronon firing one final time.

oOo

Though it was approaching midnight on Reya's home world, the sun had barely begun to set on Atlantis. Carson and Reya limped through the gate, the two of them exhausted from their ordeal. Sheppard followed them, his face set against the inevitable questions. They'd spoken little on the walk from the prison hut to the Stargate, and Carson was grateful for the silence. Reya would likely need time to sort through her father's abuse and death, but he could not bring himself to feel any remorse for what had happened. Dougal had been a cruel monster, and he'd attacked one of Atlantis's own.

Elizabeth met them, her eyes softening when she saw the injured pair. "Carson, welcome home."

"Thank ye." He turned slowly. "Dr. Weir, this is Reya."

Elizabeth smiled. "Reya, it's a pleasure. I know Dr. Beckett wants you to head to the infirmary, so I hope we can find the time to speak later."

Reya simply nodded. Carson turned down the familiar corridor, shaking his head at Sheppard's offer to have a medical team bring a stretcher. If he hadn't been injured, he would have called for one for Reya. But he wanted to walk back into his infirmary, his pride taking hold and refusing to let go. It was foolish, he knew. But it was his decision.

As soon as the infirmary doors opened, he saw the other patient in a bed. Reya's quick gasp told him who the large blond man was. The newcomer pushed to his feet and gingerly gathered Reya into his arms when she rushed over to him. Carson stood unsteadily next to another bed and watched with a smile as Jotham held his young wife.

Cole quietly approached his side. "Carson?"

He glanced at her and saw the unspoken message in her eyes. "I'll be there in a moment. Right now, let me enjoy this."

She nodded and touched his arm as she left him alone. Carson leaned against the bed, watching as Reya dissolved into tears. Jotham gently smoothed her hair from her face and kissed the top of her head, his own tears falling as she mumbled out the truth about their child. Carson looked away, blinking as he felt the same compassion that had gotten him into this situation well up inside. Leaving the couple to their grief, he unsteadily walked over to Cole and allowed her to treat his wounds.

oOo

Four Weeks Later. . . .

Carson stepped back through the gate with Lieutenant Baker behind him, a smile firmly in place as he strode toward Elizabeth. He'd just come from another allied world, this one a bit more advanced than Reya's planet had been. Jotham and Reya were settling nicely into their new home, and they had been accepted into a society known for helping victims of Wraith attacks. Carson had suggested they be placed there as a result of their experiences on M48-217. Now, he allowed his grin to widen as Elizabeth approached him.

"Carson?"

"Elizabeth." He shrugged out of the pack he'd carried on his back, the still-healing wounds pulling in a familiar but not entirely comfortable way. Out of the bloody mess his back had been, only two wounds had been deep enough to scar. One of them stretched across his shoulder blades and would take some time for the residual pain to fade. Meeting Elizabeth's eyes, he nodded. "Reya and Jotham are doing well. She's healed from her injuries, though I can do little for the scarring from previous beatings." He lowered his voice. "She's also expectin' again."

"Isn't it a bit soon?"

"Aye," he agreed. "An' I explained the risks. Which means I'll be headin' back there—or they'll be comin' here—quite a lot in the comin' months."

Elizabeth nodded. "Well, I hate to do this, but we've received a request for you to join Colonel Sheppard. Apparently, they've found a feudal society who could use your help with their Lord Protector."

Carson's eyes slid shut at that news. He'd had enough of feudal societies to last a lifetime. "What seems to be the problem?"

"I don't know. Apparently, the Lord Protector fell ill."

"An' Colonel Sheppard wants to build some good will." Carson nodded. "Right. Let me restock with some supplies, an' I'll head out."

By that evening, he wished he hadn't agreed to go. The Ancient scanner he'd brought had told him that the Lord Protector was anemic and that his liver and kidneys had failed. Still, it took a few more hours to conclude that the Lord Protector had been poisoned. He couldn't identify the exact poison, but he delivered the news to Sheppard as the two of them stared down on the gateroom/throneroom of this twisted palace. He was exhausted and had a patient on the verge of death, and he could do nothing. Beyond frustrating him, it angered him.

After Sheppard pulled Otho, the chamberlain, aside, Carson returned to the Lord Protector's side to wait for the inevitable. He made the man comfortable and documented the moment he took his final breath. Even though he didn't know the Lord Protector, he still felt the sting of having lost a patient. As a doctor, he wanted to save the man. As a human being, he wanted to berate these people for their government and the injustice of it. At least the Lord Protector had seemed to be reasonable from what Sheppard had said.

The situation turned bad, however, and Carson tried to convince Sheppard to leave. The colonel had other ideas, and Carson was caught trying to escape the tower. With a knife held to his throat, he stared at Sheppard while the former chamberlain, now Lord Protector, arrested them. The pair were escorted to another cell, this one much nicer than the hut he'd occupied with Reya, and shoved inside. Sheppard managed to keep his feet under him, but Carson tripped and slid across the floor. The scars on his back pulled painfully, and he climbed to his feet while hiding a grimace. Tavius had sprawled on a settee.

Otho, the new Lord Protector, glanced at the guards. "Wait outside."

The arrogant little man on the plush couch in the room didn't even glance over. "I'll have your head for this, Chamberlain."

Otho glared at him. "You are in no position to make threats."

Tavius sneered at Sheppard and Carson. "Is it really necessary to insult me further by imprisoning me with _these_ people?"

Carson glared, fed up with feudal societies, feudal arrogance, and feudal everything. "We're not the ones who committed murder."

Tavius sat up. "True." He pushed to his feet. "There is only one murderer in this room. Isn't that right, Otho?" He turned to Sheppard and Carson. "Oh, let me guess. He told you I did it. Do I look like the sort of person who knows anything about poisons and chemicals? Otho, on the other hand, is always making elaborate studies of things—topics you and I might find boring, but which sometimes can turn out to be quite useful."

Carson frowned. "You're sayin' he's the one that poisoned the Lord Protector?"

"I had no choice." Otho gestured to Tavius as he spoke. "I offered to guarantee him the succession. In return, he would spare Mara's life."

Carson resisted the urge to close his eyes and rub at the headache threatening to form. These things seemed to always come back around to a woman in the center. The only difference between this situation and Reya's was that Reya had done nothing wrong by marrying Jotham. Mara, Tavius's sister, had been indirectly complicit in this entire affair.

"Ah, but you're leaving out the best part," Tavius continued. "Once I assumed the throne, Mara was to be given to Otho as his wife. All she had to do was bat her eyes at him a couple of times, and the fool was hooked."

Otho slapped Tavius, likely a higher degree of insult than a manly punch would have been. "Guards!" He glanced at Carson and Sheppard. "It's true we were to be married, and so we will." He made to leave and then turned around as if he'd had a new thought. "Only now she won't be marrying a lowly servant, but the Lord Protector himself."

Carson watched the arrogant chamberlain-turned-ruler strut away and let out a deep breath. All of this happened because he'd discovered the truth about the Lord Protector's health. His mind went back over his ordeal with Reya, as well, and he let out a deep sigh. "I really need to stop makin' house calls."

~The End~


End file.
